Ways of studying the brain.

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. These are 3D scans providing information on structural and functional aspects in the brain. They use strong magnetic fields and radio waves. When areas brains are active, more oxygenated blood flows there, and this shows FMRI scans because oxygenated bloods responds difficulty for magnetic field.
• People do FMRI is useful to study the brain activates and tasks. FMRI can also be used as a diagnostic tool and useful to studying abmoral conditions.
• One advantage of a FMRI is non invasive.
• One advantage of a FMRI is that there is better spatial resolution.
• One disadvantage of a FMRI Causation issues, expensive, can be uncomfortable, only shows what’s happening then not over time, lacks temporal resolution.
• An Electroencephalogram(EEG) shows overall electrical activity of the brain. This picks up signals and neurons together but not individual ones. Electrodes are put on the scalp and electrical activity in the brain is recorded to create a pattern of waves. Researchers will look at levels of arousal / consciousness.
• EEGS help because of sleep studies. This is useful when researching conditions such as depression and EEG can be used as a diognostic tool.
• Advantages of an EEG include it being cheap, easy to use, no side effects, good temporal resolution, portable and non-invasive.
• Disadvantages of an EEG include poor spatial resolution, low sensitivity, cannot distinguish between different types of neural activity, difficult to interpret results and may cause discomfort.
• Event-related potentials (ERPs) are looking at how a EEG wave pattern changes in response to a stimulus. Specific stimulus equals a specific change in wave patterns.
• People use ERPS as Allows comparison between ‘normal’ individuals and individuals suffering from a disorder e.g. depression. Useful for research into memory (information

  processing)
• Advantages of ERP include high temporal resolution, good spatial resolution, allows researchers to compare groups and can be used with children
• Disadvantages of ERP include expensive equipment, time consuming, requires large sample sizes, participants must remain still and have electrodes attached to their head which could affect performance.
• Post Mortem exams are when the brain of a dead person is dissected(cut up) so researchers can look at the internal

  structure of the brain.
• Post Mortem could help to spot structural abnormalities to explain

  certain conditions. They can provide evidence for the localisation of function in the brain.
• The main disadvantage of post mortems is that they cannot tell us about the functioning of the brain while it was alive. The brain starts to decompose within hours of death meaning results may not be accurate.
• One disadvantage is Causation issues, invasive, extraneous factors, has to be agreed by person beforehand / relatives,

  no benefit for the dead perso